Terpene Synthases and Methods of Using the Same

Abstract

Disclosed are isolated nucleic acid molecules from Selaginella moellendorffii that encode a terpene synthase protein at least 80% identical to a protein encoded by the nucleic acid sequence according to any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-47 or a degenerate variant thereof or a functional fragment thereof. Isolated terpene synthase proteins from S. moellendorffii are also disclosed. Host cells transformed with the S. moellendorffii terpene synthase nucleic acids are also disclosed, for example cells of a single cell organism, such as bacteria and yeast, or multicellular organism, such as a plant. The host cells can be prokaryotic cells or eukaryotic cells. Transgenic plants, or any part thereof, stably transformed with S. moellendorffii terpene synthase nucleic acids are also disclosed In some examples the transgenic plant is a dicotyledon or a monocotyledon. A method is disclosed for producing a transgenic plant, as is a method for producing terpenes.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a terpene synthase protein at least 80% identical to a protein encoded by the nucleic acid sequence according to any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-47 or a degenerate variant thereof or a functional fragment thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , further comprising a promoter operably linked to the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the terpene synthase protein. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid comprises the cDNA set forth as anyone of SEQ ID NOs: 1-47, or a degenerate variant thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A construct comprising isolated nucleic acid molecule of any one of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . The construct of  claim 4 , wherein the construct confers an agronomic trait to a plant in which it is expressed. 
     
     
         6 . The construct of  claim 5 , wherein the agronomic trait comprises terpenoid production. 
     
     
         7 . An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A host cell transformed with the vector of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . The host cell of  claim 8 , where the cell comprises a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell. 
     
     
         10 . The host cell of  claim 8 , wherein the cell comprises a single cell organism. 
     
     
         11 . The host cell of  claim 9 , wherein the prokaryotic cell comprises a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         12 . The host cell of  claim 10 , the single cell organism is yeast. 
     
     
         13 . The host cell of  claim 9 , wherein the eukaryotic cell comprises a plant cell. 
     
     
         14 . A transgenic plant stably transformed with the isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The transgenic plant of  claim 14 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledon or a monocotyledon. 
     
     
         16 . A seed of the transgenic plant of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         17 . A method of producing a transgenic plant comprising transforming a plant cell or tissue with the construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A method for producing terpenes, comprising:
 transforming a cell with the isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 ; and isolating the terpenes produced from the cell.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , where the cell comprises a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cell comprises a single cell organism. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the prokaryotic cell comprises a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , the single cell organism is yeast. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the eukaryotic cell comprises a plant cell. 
     
     
         24 . A plant cell, fruit, leaf, root, shoot, flower, seed, cutting and other reproductive material useful in sexual or asexual propagation, progeny plants inclusive of F1 hybrids, male-sterile plants and all other plants and plant products derivable from the transgenic plant of  claim 14 .